GOTO Telescopes under Surburban Skies.

[Astro Imp]

I was recently recommended this from my local librarian.
GOTO Telescopes Under Surburban Skies
Author:- Neale Monks 
This one in the series of Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy.
Published by Springer
ISBN 978-1-4419-6850-0
For those of us who start an observing session and after the first few targets run out of ideas this is a really helpful guide.
The book is arranged by season and is written assuming an 8" SCT is used although comments when smaller scopes will suffice are included.
There are no star charts or "star hops" as the use of GOTO is taken for granted.
Each season starts with brief descriptions of "show piece" objects followed by more challenging deep sky objects and finishing with interesting, colourful and binary stars.
The winter section contains 77 DSO and 28 stars. Advice on what filter, if any, for the object under discussion is included.
To make it easy and to save having to jump around various menus in the handset all DSOs are referred to by their NGC numbers although where appropriate Messier numbers are also noted. The stars are given their SAO numbers and also their common name when there is one and the Bayer designation.
There are some sketches of what to expect but these are produced from Starry Night Pro rather than real  eye piece drawings.
Although like most observing guides there are a number of objects which are difficult/impossible for us in the higher latitudes there are still plenty of targets to keep us observing for many evenings.
Certainly for me I find this a helpful book which will help in compiling observing lists, when we get the opportunity to get out under the night skies.

 

[Donkeiller]

Agreed.

If you struggle to see any but the brightest stars, in an urban setting, Goto is a must.

[Skywatcher130]

That sounds like a great book,  I will see if I can find a copy,  thanks. 

Deb 

[Astro Imp]

6 hours ago, Skywatcher130 said:

That sounds like a great book,  I will see if I can find a copy,  thanks. 

Deb 

Amazon stock it, I've just ordered a copy - £25.

[Stub Mandrel]

On 13/03/2019 at 21:45, Astro Imp said:

I was recently recommended this from my local librarian.

 

Wow, a real, human, librarian who knows about books?

I thought they were extinct!

[Ags]

On 15/03/2019 at 23:19, Donkeiller said:

Agreed.

If you struggle to see any but the brightest stars, in an urban setting, Goto is a must.

I don't quite agree with that. I find a wide field scope and red dot finder (and some patience) help me find objects more reliably than my old goto system ever managed.

[noah4x4]

Much depends on equipment and accurate user data inputs. My Celestron Evolution or Nexstar SE4 if autoaligned using Starsense with data sourced from GPS has superb GoTo accuracy. Will consistently centre my Targets in even a 12.5mm cross hair illuminated reticle EP.  

[Stu]

Sounds like a good book, might look at buying at some point. I love star hopping at a dark site, but I do find Goto really useful from my garden as I can spend more time looking at objects not failing to find the stars needed to hop!

[DavidJM]

Birthday not far off so having invested in a synscan 127 Mak, this is going on my pressie list☺

[pandoraefretum]

Goto scope a great choice for me

I can't find many objects in my finderscope, due to light pollution,
but once my scope Goes To the object I finally get to see many things I have been unable to locate in the past

Goto scopes allow more viewing time, less hopping time
(nothing against star hopping; I've been doing it for 40 years)

[cletrac1922]

On 24/03/2019 at 19:22, DavidJM said:

Birthday not far off so having invested in a synscan 127 Mak, this is going on my pressie list☺

 

David

You can now also get SynScan WiFi adapter 

I have now got one

Download the SynScan App

Takes guess work out of GPS location, date/time, as set from your mobile device

Good piece of kit

John